Top 10 Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Although a lot of people prefer to use the mouse to click around, most IT professionals prefer the keyboard (and associated keyboard shortcuts), because it can be a real time and effort saver. When you spend more than 8 hours a day at a computer 5+ days a week, saving a few seconds here and there really adds up. To that end, here are some of my favourite Windows keyboard shortcuts:

Win + D: Show The Desktop. Minimizes all currently open windows to show the desktop. To restore all your windows, just hit Win + D again.

Win + E: Open Windows Explorer.

Alt + Tab: Cycle through open windows. (Use Win + Tab for the fancy Aero version of this)

Win + L: Lock your computer. When you return you have to enter your password. This is not only security best practice if you’re stepping away from your computer, it also prevents your co-worker from changing your desktop wallpaper to Rick Astley.

Win + Left Arrow: Align Window Left. Great for when you have a widescreen monitor and need two windows side by side (use in conjunction with Align Windows Right below).

Win + Right Arrow: Align Window Right

Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move a window to another monitor.

Win + R: Open the run command. Great for opening up Windows stalwarts like calculator (calc).

Win + F: Open search.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager. Great for when your system is having a panic attack.

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Nik

Nik is a project manager and web technologist that enjoys solving peoples' problems through web technologies. When he isn't doing those things, he's lifting heavy things up and down repeatedly, and cooking with his 3 children, who are actively trying to eat all the ingredients.
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